Best Laid Plans Heather Burkett
Chapter 19: Stay
I hadn't heard from Edward the rest of the week, so I was a bit surprised and very relieved when he texted Friday to confirm he'd be arriving at my house at nine the next morning.
The communication was brief and professional and I reminded myself that I should be thankful for that.
It was like Leah had said – life was complicated and dramatic enough – why would I want to add to that?
I tossed and turned Friday night. It wasn't unusual for me to have trouble getting my mind to quiet down the night before an event.
But I wasn't busy checking and rechecking my mental list. I wasn't trying to brainstorm ways to streamline the event, or wracking my brain to see if there was something I'd overlooked.
I was thinking about Edward.
I was thinking about emerald eyes that turned black as night with desire. I was thinking of broad shoulders and a body that looked like it was carved from stone. I was thinking of fiery hair that glistened in the sunlight and full, pouty soft lips that had been so close to mine that I could taste the mint on the breath that blew past them.
I sat up, lighting the lavender candle by my bedside and playing some YouTube meditation playlist on my phone, but as midnight drew near, sleep still evaded me and my body was tenser than it had been when I first laid down.
I wandered into the bathroom, running the water as I slipped out of my nightshirt and panties, hoping the shower would release the knots that were building one atop another in my neck and shoulders.
I slipped past the curtain into the hot water, welcoming the heat on my face and throat before spinning around to feel the spray against my back. I steadied myself by placing a hand against the wall, dropping my head to give the spray access to the knots that dotted across the petit span of my shoulders, feeling them loosen minimally.
My thoughts turned back towards the one thing I didn't want to allow myself to think about.
Guess I'll take my second cold shower of the day.
Without thinking, I reached up, removing the showerhead from its perch. I moved the spray over my breasts, running my hands under the water and massaging until my nipples hardened from the building ache. I ran the showerhead down my body, imagining Edward in that cold shower, trying to remove his own aching need.
I gasped as the jets washed up between my parted thighs, attempting to push aside my thoughts of Edward, knowing it was wrong to allow myself to think of him that way. I tried to just enjoy the pressure of the water as it assaulted me, arching by back and running my free hand through my wet hair.
I moved the showerhead back and forth, the pressure building and knotting deep inside of my belly.
How long had it been since I felt like this?
I ran my hand down from my hair, along my collarbone and downward, groping and massaging by breast as my body began pulsing back and forth against the jets.
Oh my God. I chanted as the knot grew ever tighter in my belly and my thighs began trembling.
Edward's face flashed through my mind.
No.
His lean, shirtless body with those perilously low shorts.
No.
"Bella." I heard him whisper in my ear.
I pinched my nipple tightly as I came undone.
This was about to be my hardest event to date. Not only did I have the usual to-do list to worry about, but I had to face an assistant that no longer wanted anything to do with me.
The same man I'd masturbated to last night.
I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to clear my thoughts.
I was a mess.
How was I going to do this?
Perhaps I should let him go?
Sure Bella, first you turn the man down and then you fire him. Like that's sure to go over well.
I wanted desperately to call Alice so she could help me work it all out, but there was no time.
Edward's due any minute.
As if summoning a ghost, Edward's Volvo slipped into my driveway just as I thought his name.
Too late to get your shit together now, Bella.
I grabbed my purse and rushed out to meet him, not yet mentally prepared to have him back in the small space of my apartment again. I was trepidatious, unsure what kind of mood I would find him in after our last awkward goodbye.
"Good morning." He said, rising out of his car like the smoke dances above a flame.
Well, good. He seems in much better spirits.
"Good morning." I greeted in response.
"I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and picked up our coffees." I must have looked worried, because he continued, "Three French vanilla creamers and three Splenda, just the way you like it."
"How did you know?" I asked, gawking.
He chuckled. "I only watched you order about three of them last weekend."
Well, he was an attentive assistant, I had to give him that.
"I was thinking, I'm already properly caffeinated so why don't you let me drive this time?" He offered. "Besides, you look like you may have had a rough night."
I shrugged. "It wasn't my best." I answered honestly, avoiding the details.
"Want to talk about it?" He asked, handing me my perfect coffee.
"Thanks but, not particularly." I hedged.
"Suit yourself." He answered nonchalantly as he slipped back into the driver's seat.
I placed my bag and purse into the back seat before joining him in the car.
"So, how was your week?" I asked just to fill the silence as we entered the highway.
"Pretty quiet, honestly. Just filled my time with running and school work." He shrugged. "Mom and Dad got back Thursday, so I had dinner with them Thursday night."
"Oh, how was their trip?"
"They had a good time." He didn't elaborate.
So, he was in a good mood, though not particularly chatty.
I could understand that.
I didn't press for details.
"So, how do you want me to start when we arrive?" He asked.
I spent the remainder of the short drive going over the timeline of events for the day, summarizing the best I could just as we pulled into Carmen and Eleazar's house.
Now knowing how well he worked unsupervised – and that he was even better prepared this time around – I gave him a copy of the itinerary and set him to work on his own.
By the time I had met with each vendor and gone back to check on the ceremony space, Edward and the floral team had already decked out the clearing in white roses, delphinium and cherry blossoms galore. White wisteria vines hung loosely from the overhead cascade of tree limbs. I watched in awe as Edward singlehandedly lifted the heavy arch into place at the end of the aisle as two floral assistant set to the task of securing it into the ground. The head florist carried in baskets upon baskets of white flowers to be wrapped around the wicker arch. By the time they were done, there'd be nothing of the wicker left to be seen.
"How's it going?" I asked once the arch was secured in place.
Edward wiped the dew from his brow with the back of his hand. "Going good so far; what do you think?"
"Excellent job." I noted, handing him an ice cold bottle of water. "Keep it up and I just might have to hire you."
He chuckled softly before chugging the water thirstily.
I'll have to make a mental note to bring him more water.
I knew firsthand the dangers of overworking and not staying hydrated.
"Want me to get you some more?" I asked, taking the empty bottle once he finished downing the contents.
"No thanks. I want to finish setting up the aisle before I tackle the tables and chairs in the reception area."
He was a damn hard worker.
I tried to imagine Charlotte in his position and knew with certainty I had made the right choice. There was simply no way she'd be able to help with the heavy lifting that Edward was doing.
"What?" He asked as I realized I was smiling.
"I'm just grateful for your hard work."
He basked in the compliment. "It's my pleasure, B-" his lips caught on the "B" in my name before he let the sentence drift off, incomplete.
He still hasn't gotten over last Monday.
But he was trying.
Together, we set up the reception area, finishing the last details about a half an hour before the ceremony was set to begin.
"Do you think Carmen and Eleazar would mind me using their restroom quickly? I'd like to clean up a bit before the guests arrive." He asked, the perspiration evident on his brow and above his lip.
"Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't mind at all." I answered. He sprinted back to his car, returning a moment later with a small gym bag that I assume held a change of clothes.
"Good thinking ahead!" I acknowledged, watching him blush faintly from the praise before he made his way up the steps into the house.
During the ceremony, Edward and I stood on opposite sides of the crowd, asking guests to put away their cell phones so that they wouldn't appear in the photographer's photos.
"Repeat after me. I, Kate, take thee, Randall, to be my lawful wedded husband." The officiant directed.
Kate tearfully repeated the vows that were as old as weddings themselves as I watched, getting a little emotional myself.
I felt Edward's stare from the other side of the crowd. When I looked over, I could see in his eyes that whatever it was he felt for me on Monday night was still there. He had been trying to bury it, obviously...trying to just be the best employee he could be...but it was obvious in the way that he was looking at me that the longing had not abated.
I secretly wondered if he could see it in my eyes, too.
Cocktail hour ended and dinner service began just as the sun was slipping beyond the horizon; setting the sky on fire in a blaze of pinks and oranges and reds. Guests dined by candlelight under a canopy of twinkling lights that spanned the entire length of the back yard, painting the scenery in a soft, ambient glow. The band played classical music as guests dined on a course of filet mignon and fingerling potatoes.
I called Edward around to the side of the house, handing him one of the meals we had been provided as vendors and inviting him to get off his feet for a few minutes and relax. As the band began playing Debussy, Edward turned towards the source of the music with a peaceful smile on his face. He set the pre-packaged meal on the private vendor's table, slowly stalking towards me.
"Dance with me." He held his hand out in expectation.
I stammered, looking around to make sure no one was watching. "We really shouldn't, Edward. It's unprofessional."
"Bella, what's the point of helping people create these lasting memories if you don't ever take the time to steal one for yourself?"
I took a tentative step towards him, very unsure if this was a good idea.
"Claire de lune is one of my favorites." He continued. "Would you do me the honor?" He reached down slowly, as if afraid to scare me off, and slipped his fingers under the palm of my right hand, searching my eyes for any further hesitance.
I smiled awkwardly, feeling like the plane Jane at the Winter Formal who'd just been asked to dance by the school Quarterback.
He smiled softly when I didn't pull away, looking on as he lifted my other hand and placed it over his heart, pressing my palm flat against his defined chest.
I stared into his eyes as I stepped forward, closing the space between our bodies so that his chest was just barely grazing my breasts. We stood motionless for a moment as our bodies danced against one another – breath for ragged breath.
He slipped my left hand from his heart, over his collarbone and shoulder so that my palm was now wrapped around the back of his neck, my fingertips playing with a wayward lock of his hair. I sighed as I discovered it was even softer than I'd imagined.
Slowly...hesitantly...he wrapped his free arm around my waist, pulling me tighter against his body as we began to sway to the music. We stared into each other's eyes until the connection became too much, overriding my senses. He leaned in, riding his nose along my jaw and up to my cheek, where he placed a gentle, chaste kiss. His nose moved further up along my temple and into my hair, where he inhaled the scent of my shampoo deeply. He hummed with pleasure, the sound vibrating against my earlobe like a cat's soft purr.
I became lost in the moment as we moved to the soft melody in silence, completely oblivious to the world around us until I heard footsteps approaching. The photographer and his assistant were coming around the side of the house with their vendor's meals, preparing for their first break of the night.
I tensed and Edward released me, stepping back quickly as he saw that we had company. He crooked a smile at me. "Thank you, Bella." He pursed his lips before turning towards his waiting meal, breaking the connection.
I returned to the reception area in a daze to oversee the next course of the meal, my movements slow and my brain foggy.
He's not giving up on me.
And I no longer know if I want him to.
Several hours of sly, sideways glances later, the event was a success and Edward and I were comfortably seated back in his Volvo for the ride back to my place.
The quiet of the smooth engine was only punctuated with our strenuous yawns.
It had been an extremely long day.
The quiet purr of the vehicle had almost put me to sleep by the time Edward pulled into to my apartment. "You worked incredibly hard today, Edward. You should be damn proud of yourself." I acknowledged.
He smiled sleepily. "Think I can take you up on the cup of coffee for the ride home?" He asked with another wide yawn.
"Oh, um, yeah. Sure." I stammered uneasily.
I staggered into the apartment with Edward trailing behind, hearing him stifle another yawn.
I set my purse down on the white-tiled kitchen counter before heading for the cabinet where the coffee was, frowning when I found that there wasn't enough grounds to make a fresh pot. I searched the back of the cabinet and the pantry, sure I must have a reserve of coffee somewhere, but found myself empty handed.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked, noting my grimace.
"I must have forgotten to buy more coffee when I went grocery shopping."
He yawned, his jaw coming unhinged as his eyes squeezed tightly shut. "That's okay, I can manage." He grasped his keys from the counter top, readying to leave.
"Stay." I whispered, the word sounding strangled.
"What?" He asked, unsure he heard me.
I swallowed, trying to steel my resolve. "Spend the night."
"Bella..." My name came out in a husk, his eyes darkening minutely. "I...I shouldn't."
I refused to acknowledge how desperately I suddenly wanted him to.
"It's after one in the morning, Edward, and I have no coffee or energy drinks to give you. Please, just...stay." His eyes wandered over my mouth briefly before he turned to look at the couch. My words were staccato; unplanned. I had no idea what I was doing here, just feeling where the moment took me.
He thought it over a minute before being inundated by another powerful yawn that seemed to be the deciding factor. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Just the idea of him sleeping under the same roof made me draw a ragged breath.
"I'd have to take a shower first; would that be okay?"
"Oh, of course." I answered, trying to sound more casual than I was feeling.
He swallowed; his Adam's apple bobbing with the exertion. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." I forced a smile. "You know where the bathroom is. Help yourself. There's a fresh towel on the rack."
He smiled back sheepily, sitting a moment longer before making his way towards the shower.
I placed both my palms on the edge of the counter, leaning with all my weight on it as I tried not to think of him disrobing.
Tried not to think of his body, naked and wet in my shower.
Tried not to think of the things I'd done to my own body just the night before in the very same place.
As I heard the water running, I attempted not to imagine what else he might do in there, or entertain the thought that he might do it while thinking of me.
My resolve around him was waning.
I don't know how long I stood there, battling my thoughts and emotions, when I heard the bathroom door swing open, signaling his return.
I gasped when he reappeared, his upper body gloriously naked and glistening with beads of water as he wore nothing besides a towel wrapped around his waist.
His eyes darted around nervously, never quite landing on my face. "I'm sorry but, I just realized I don't have a change of clothes." He risked a glance into my eyes and the connection between us snapped into place.
I broke my gaze away, resisting the urge to trail my eyes over his taut body. I was unwilling to follow the droplets that slipped this way and that over his defined pecs and down along the smattering of hair on his lower abdomen, fully doubting my ability to resist him any longer if I allowed myself that pleasure.
"Um, let me see if I have any of Jake's old stuff." I mumbled incoherently.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." I threw over my shoulder as I walked past him towards my bedroom. I disappeared inside the walk-in closet, rummaging through boxes until I spotted a pair of silk pajama pants I had bought for Jake years before. I held them up to my nose. Although he'd only worn them once before deciding he didn't like them, Jake's scent lingered.
When I turned to stride out of the closet, I found Edward there, watching me – his brows furrowed and his eyes concerned.
"It must still be difficult." He mentioned softly, his voice reverberating deeply.
My sad smile didn't quite reach my eyes. "It's getting better."
"Is it?" He asked, the worry evident on his face.
I shrugged, deciding to be honest. "Having you around helps...It takes my mind off of it for a while."
He stepped into the closet, overwhelming me as I backed up against my wardrobe with nowhere left to run. "I'm glad I can help."
He raised his hand to caress my cheek, letting his palm rest there as he searched my eyes. "Are you sure you don't mind?"
I bit my lip, gently nodding.
"Okay." He took the pants from me, lowering them to the floor and stepping into them, pulling the deep blue silk up his strong, lean legs and under the towel.
I took the towel from him as he removed it. "Do you want to hand me your clothes? I can throw them in the wash for you and we can dry them tomorrow morning."
"Oh, sure. Thanks." His face flushed a delicious pink hue. He stared into my eyes a minute longer before turning to retrieve his gym bag from the living room. He met me in the laundry, pulling the black clothing out of the bag and dumping it into the washer as I added detergent and started the machine.
I grabbed a fresh sheet from the dryer, stopped by Sarah's room to pick up a couple of pillows and led him back to the couch. We set the bedding up together, covering the sofa in a sheet and throwing a comforter over the back for him to use when he fell asleep.
"You must be exhausted." I commented, noticing the dark circles that were forming under his eyes. "I'll let you get some sleep." I turned to walk away when he reached out for me, quickly taking my hand.
"Wait."
I looked down at our hands before looking up into his face in surprise. His brows were furrowed in concentration as he stepped forward, his hand sliding over my waist as he turned me to face him. "I just want to try something." He exhaled slowly. "Hold still."
I did exactly as he bid, captivated by the intensity of his eyes; the emeralds alight with an unspoken need.
He brought his free hand up to cup my cheek and I could no longer resist his touch, closing my eyes as I leaned my face into his large palm. He inhaled through his teeth, making a hissing sound as if my reaction had burned him. When I opened my eyes, he was leaning in ever so slowly, eyes imploring mine not to stop him this time.
He swallowed as his mouth grew ever nearer to mine, his breath cool and minty against my face.
As I began to ache for his touch, his lips met mine softly, cautiously...as if he was afraid I might pull away at any second. Instead, I ran my hands over his forearms, up his biceps and around his shoulders, my fingertips memorizing the feel of his skin and muscle.
He released me from the chaste kiss all too soon for my liking, pulling back to look into my eyes once again.
My body was a flame, desperate for somewhere to light. My breathing was ragged as I dug my fingers into his hair, pulling him to me and crashing my lips against his, hungry for more.
He moaned as I pressed against him, deepening the kiss. He slipped his tongue between my lips and I groaned with pressure as I sucked on it, massaging it with my own tongue.
His hand slipped from my waist, over my backside until he was grazing the back of my thigh. He hitched my leg up over his hip, lifting me effortlessly as I wound my legs around his waist. His hands settled on my rear as he carried me over towards the hallway, pressing me against the wall, pinning me with his body deliciously. I gripped his hair tightly, unwilling to let go as I feasted on his lips and tongue.
He ground into me and I could feel his desire, the inferno within me spreading. He growled deep in his chest as he lifted me away from the wall, carrying me into my bedroom.
Our tangled bodies collapsed onto my bed as we kissed, refusing to sever the connection. He lifted me and repositioned me so that my head was on the pillows, burying his hands in my hair, drinking me in greedily. He laid his weight on top of me, pressing his magnificent body against mine as he ground against me once again. His erection assaulted my core as our kissing intensified even further.
I released my grasp on his hair as my hands wandered over his shoulders and back. I slipped them further down until I was firmly gripping a cheek in each hand, pulling him against my center as I arched my back, pressing against him in a frenzy. He joined me in pulsing his body against mine, our pace rushed and frantic.
It wasn't until the knot in my belly ignited that I finally broke the kiss, exhaling his name as I came undone beneath him. He thrust against me a few more times before finding his own release, shivering and trembling on top of me.
It may have been one of the most erotic, passionate encounters of my life – and we hadn't even taken our clothes off.
He placed his forehead against mine, circling the tip of my nose with his own as we both attempted to steady our breathing. He rolled over onto his back beside me, his breath still coming in gasps.
"I...should go to the couch." He husked breathlessly, unsure what to do next.
I curled into his side, wrapping my arm around him and placing my ear against his steady heartbeat.
"Stay." I whispered, not ready to let him go.